SPCA to hold kitten shower in Stratham this weekend

By GRETYL MACALASTERUnion Leader CorrespondentApril 11. 2013 11:09PMSTRATHAM - A unique kind of baby shower will be held at the New Hampshire SPCA this weekend to help kittens during a busy birthing season.

The annual kitten shower will be held Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at the SPCA's adoption center at 104 Portsmouth Ave. in Stratham.

The event is held to raise awareness of the continuing overpopulation of abandoned kittens and to help increase supplies to be prepared for the coming onslaught of kittens.

A "registry" of sorts is listed at www.nhspca.org and donations of wet and dry foods, kitty litter, kitten milk replacer and cat toys are welcomed.

Dianna Currier, manager of adoption center programs, said they used to refer to the time between May and October as "kitten season" because of the many mother cats giving birth and motherless litters being delivered to their doorstep.

"Now it seems we have kittens in foster care all year long," Currier said.

She said they do not have kittens old enough to be adopted at this time, but have already seen an influx of pregnant cats and some that have already given birth.

"We will soon be overflowing with homeless kittens and mother cats, even before the traditional kitten season . begins," Currier said.

In 2012, the NHSPCA, an open admission, unlimited stay facility, took in more than 1,300 cats.